Convertible table.



A. SHIER. CONVERTIBLE TABLE. APPLIOATIOK IILED MAY 9, 1908.

91 8,780. Patented Apr. 20, 1909;

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ANDREW SHIER, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

' CONVERTIBLE TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, '1909.

V 7 Application filed May 9, 1908. Serial N0. 431,784.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that 1, ANDR W SHIER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and State of Michigan, hive invented new and useful Improvements in Convertible Tables, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates toimprovements in tables, and its primary object is the provision of a deviceof this character whichinay be readily and quickly converted into a writing desk or sewing table or both," one which is simple, durable and eiiicient, and one which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction,

combination and arrangement of parts here- I inafter fully described, claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view inside or front elevation of a table constructed in accordance with my invention, the desk section being in raised position. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on a plane extending horizontally through the body of the table. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view in front elevation of the sewing cabinet section of the table. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on a plane indicated by the line66 of Fig. 3,1ooking in the direction indicated by the arrow, and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a portion of one of the counter-weights of the table.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, A designates the top, B the body, and C the legs of a table constructed in accordance with my invention. 7

The body of the table comprises ends 2,

sides 3 and a bottom 4. The'legs of thetable are braced and reinforced by means of a shelf-board 5. The top of the table comprises two sections 6 which are slidably mounted upon the body thereof, and are adapted when in one position to close the body. A guide rail 7 is secured-to the upper,

edge of each end 2 of the body of the table and is adapted to be engaged by grooved wheels 8 carried by the sections 6 of the table top. Flanged strips 9 are secured to the under sides of the table top sections and the Wheels 8 are mounted on journals 10 which pass through the flanges of the strips and enter the under surfaces of the table top sections. This manner of mounting the sections of the top upon the body of the table permits the movements of the sections with the least possible friction. The inward movements of the table top sections are limited by cleats 11 which are secured to the under surfaces thereof for engagement with the sides 3 of the body of the table. Partitions '12, 13, and 1 1 are secured within the body of the table to divide the same into compartments 15, 16, and 17 which extend longitudinally of the body.

A desk section 18 and a sewing cabinet sec-' tion19 are respectively mounted in the compartments 16 and 17 and are connected with the counterbalancing weights D. The connections between the counterbalancing weights and the desk and sewing cabinet sections are such that when the table top sections are withdrawn the desk and sewing cabinet sections are raised above the same, thus converting the table into a writing desk or sewing and toilet table. When the table top sections are returned to theirnormal positions, the desk and sewing cabinet sections are held in the body of the table, the table top sections when in such positions fully covering the body and restoring the table to its'normal appearance.

The desk section comprises sides 20, a top 21 and a back 22, the front of the desk sec tion being fully open to permit access to a plurality of pigeon holes 23, drawers 24 and pen and pencil racks 25. Extensions 26 are slidably mounted in compartments 27 of the desk section, and are adapted to be withdrawn when the desk section is in use, as fullyv illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The sewing cabinet section comprises sides 28, a bottom 29, top 30 and back 31, the front part of the section being fully open to permit access to drawers 32 and cabinets 33.

cabinet sections and are provided with pinions 36, which are adapted to engage rack bars 37 secured to the inner surfaces of the sides of the body of the table. The pinions and rack bars are adapted to guide the desk and sewingcabinet sections in such a manner that the sections will not tilt at an angle with relation to a'vertical plane while being raised or lowered. Cables 38 are each secured at one end to the desk section 18 and cables 39 are each secured at one end to the sewing cabinet section 19 by means of brackets 40. The opposite ends of the cables are respectively secured to the ends of bars 41 and 42, which are disposed for movement in the compartments 15 of the body of the table. Weight sections 13 are mounted upon the bars 41 and 42 to counter-balance the weights of the desk and sewing cabinet sections. The cables 38 and 39 pass over grooved pulleys 14 carried by channeled bars 45 which are secured to the partitions 12, 13 and 14 adjacent the ends 2 of the body of the table. As the cou11ter-balancing weights 43 are in sections, they may be increased or de creased to compensate for the weight of material carried by the desk and sewing cabinet sections,

As the withdrawal of the table top section will permit the desk and sewing cabinet sections to be elevated by the weights D, it should be apparent that the table may be readily and quickly converted into a writing desk or a sewing and toilet table. To restore the table to its normal appearance the desk and sewing cabinet sections arelowered into the body of the table and the top sections are returned to their normal positions, the top sections holding the other sections in the body. It should also be apparent that the table is simple, durable and efficient, and that it may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

Changes in the form, proportions and minor details of construction may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having fully described and illustrated my invention, what I claim is:

1. A convertible table comprising a hollow body, a top slidably mounted on the body, a desk section movably mounted. in the body, the sides of the desk section being extended below the bottom thereof, a bar, weights removably mounted on the bar, connection between the bar and the desk section, racks secured within the body, a shaft journaled 011 the extensions of the sides of the desk section, and pinions fixed on the shafts for engagement with the racks.

2. A convertible table comprising a hollow body, partitions dividing the body into compartments, a desk section slidably mounted in one of the compartments, a sewing cabinet section slidably mounted in one of the remaining compartments, the sides of said sections being extended below the bottoms thereof, channeled bars carried by the par 'titions, pulleys journaled on the channeled bars, bars disposed for movement in the remaining compartments, weights removably mounted on the bars, cables secured to the bars and to the sections, said cables passing over the pulleys, racks secured within the conn'iartments in which the sections are located, shafts jonrnaled in the extensions of the sides of the sections, pinions fixed on the shafts for engagement with the racks, and top sections slidably mounted on the body. In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW Sllllfilt. Witnesses CHAS. H. CRANE, CHARLES 1V. HAFER. 

